New beginnings
by CaptainRikkie
Summary: A story about Cal and Rose set after Titanic.
1. Chapter 1

Cal was in a bad mood.

Almost a month had passed since the Titanic tragedy, and yet he still could not get his ahead around it. And while on the outside he seemed indifferent, cool and collected as always, that was not truly the case. The whole episode bugged him far more than he dared to admit, and he found it hard to push the whole fiasco out of his head.

Unsuccessfully, of course.

He found it hard to concentrate. He found it hard to sleep. He turned more irritable and annoyed, venting out his anger onto the innocent people surrounding him. He didn't feel bad for the servants, though. He was paying them, after all. So in all fairness, they had nothing to complain about.

Still, even lashing out at people did not make him feel better.

He started drinking. More and more every day.

He knew he was destroying himself.

He didn't care.

xXx

Rose was in a bad mood.

She knew she had made a mistake the moment she had sent the telegram to her mother.

What made her think anything had changed?

Why was she so damn stupid? She thought her mother was a changed woman. Shouldn't accidents and misfortunes bring people closer together?

She knew she was wrong the moment she saw her at the train station.

Rose got off with a fluttering heart and a delicate, fragile feeling which she had labeled as _hope. _

But that delicate little feeling had shattered the moment she looked into her eyes.

Those were not the eyes of a loving, caring mother.

Those were the eyes of a calculating and egoistic human being that Rose had known all her life.

She sighed and almost ran back into the train.

Surely, anything was better than this? The life she had previously led was so dull, so stifling, so fake. Could she really go back to all of this when she had experienced something different? Something so magical, something so… real?

'Rose, darling!' Her mother cried out, extending her arms towards her.

Rose smiled half-heartedly and embraced her mother, at the same time, choking back the sob that was threatening to erupt.

'It is so good to see you! I was so worried, so scared! We all thought you were dead! Oh, Rose, darling. You're back now. Everything will go back to normal. Everything will be just as it was.'

Rose was sure her mother did not say this intentionally. Hell, she probably did not understand that Rose dreaded to go back to the life she had once led. The only reason she came back was because she felt so terribly lonely.

But now she realized she had made a mistake. She let the chance the world had given her slip away and hide beyond her reach. She could have buried the Rose she knew. She could have become a new woman. An actress. And now she was trapped. Again.

This time, the sob did erupt and she felt warm tears stinging her eyes and spilling. Her mother looked close to tears too.

Probably tears of happiness, Rose thought miserably.

'There, there, dear. We will not talk about the past, about the dreadful incident and Titanic. It was terrible. We need not remember it.'

Rose wanted to scream. What happened on Titanic was the best that had ever happened to her_. Jack_ was the best that had ever happened to her.

She was foolish for coming back. But she could still run. Couldn't she? Catch the next train and live an adventure. Just like Jack did.

Her mother took her arm tightly and Rose realized that this was it. This was a goodbye to all the possibilities she had before she stepped of the train.

Her mother smiled slightly as she cast a sideways glance at Rose, fixing her massive purple hat with an extravagant feather, making Rose sick.

'Everything will be fine, darling. Everything will go back to the way it was.' She muttered again, and Rose felt a single tear slip down her cheek as she offered her mother a brave miserable smile.


	2. Chapter 2

Rose was tired. Tired of pretending. Tired of distributing fake smiles that meant nothing to her heart or her soul. Tired of keeping polite conversations when in reality, she wanted nothing more but to scream at the top of her lungs until her voice was lost, until the world shattered into millions of little pieces around her.

'Rose, dear, put on the splendid blue dress I bought you yesterday. It brings out your features so well. We'll have important guests today. I want you looking your best.' Her mother said, as she stumbled into her room with excitement written all over her face.

Rose stretched in her bed but made no other attempt to get up.

'Darling, is everything okay?' Her mother asked, her voice laced with concern.

Rose stayed silent. How was she supposed to say that she wasn't? How was her mother, of all people, supposed to understand?

'Rose. Get out of bed now, we have important guests today and I want you looking your best.' Her mother's tone became stern, and yet still Rose did not move an inch.

'Fine. I want you downstairs in two hours. ' With a slam of the doors, Rose was left alone.

xXx

Rose winced, as she felt her muscles pulling from the smile that had been plastered onto her face the entire evening.

In all fairness, the evening was not a complete failure. Sure, it was boring, but she hardly had to speak. A nod here and there along with an occasional _'That's very interesting'_ and _'Do tell more'_ seemed sufficient enough, and for that, Rose was glad.

There was just one thing bothering her.

Cal.

Cal Hockley.

Her ex fiancé.

The unimaginable bastard.

In all his glory.

xXx

Rose felt a shiver along her spine as she felt Cal's gaze upon her once again.

She avoided looking at him for the entire evening, except for the moment when he had just shown up. She was in such a shock when she first saw him that she could simply not pull her gaze away from his. His eyes were compelling, his gaze was intense and all she could see beneath them was blind fury. She knew that he must hate her for everything she did. But seeing the man up so close was terrifying.

'Everyone, can I have your attention, please.' Her mother said, tapping the fork against her glass of wine.

Silence fell upon the room and Rose's mother looked around triumphantly with a smile that made her look ten years younger.

'As you know, we are so absolutely delighted to have Rose back. Back from the dead, you could say. The months without her were the most trying and heartbreaking months of my life, and I would not wish such pain upon any mother,' She said, as everyone murmured in approval , ' Before we set off on the Titanic, my darling Rose and Caledon Hockley were engaged. I can't imagine the pain that both Cal and my daughter must have gone through during their separation. To be torn so brutally apart only weeks prior to your wedding – that is not only unfortunate, that is cruel!'

Once again, a murmur of approval escaped everyone's lips and died out in an instant. Rose was confused, racking her brains for a reason why her mother would decide to deliver such a ridiculous speech.

'But feel no pity or fear – a true love can't be extinguished. If anything, it makes it stronger. It certainly did so in this case. You're probably wondering where I am heading. Well, the answer is simple. Caledon Hockley and my daughter, Rose, are getting married this weekend. Needless to say, you are all invited. All's well that ends well, right? I –'

Her mother did not have a chance to finish whatever she was about to say – Rose could take no more. The moment she heard _'getting married this weekend' _she threw a glance at Cal and was shocked to see his cold, dark eyes and a smirk directed at her. He was going to make her pay, she knew, but the rest of her thoughts were cut short as she fainted.


End file.
